This Saturday, another chapter was penned in the history of rights for America’s undocumented students.
With Gov. Jerry Brown’s signing of the second part of the California DREAM Act, undocumented students will be able to receive state aid starting in 2013, giving hope to others around the country. Brown’s signature on the bill by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, forever writes into history the precedent that those who grow up within the boundaries of the state should be able to reap the benefits of its higher education system and contribute to society. The law asserts that it is not fair for the state to nurture these undocumented students, many of whom had no choice in their relocation to this country, during their K-12 experiences and then cut them off right at the threshold of college.
By providing state aid to all those who need and deserve it — such aid is awarded on academic as well as financial eligibility — the state is remaining consistent in providing equality and access to education. Without such support, where would these students turn? This act is the answer.
Still, realizing further rights for undocumented students is far from over. The next fight must be at the national level because the state does not have the power to open the next door through which such students need to pass to find a more normal life: obtaining citizenship. Without an easier path toward citizenship, undocumented students face a whirlwind of further challenges postgraduation.
This will not be an easily won conflict. The controversy surrounding immigration laws in Alabama and Arizona, for example, reveals deeply-rooted anti-immigration mentalities that will make further change difficult across the country.
We applaud Brown and the state Legislature for leading the national fight. We hope that this decision will rally the rest of the country and that one day, undocumented students all over America will receive the justice they deserve.
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I hope supporters of this backward act all get a deadly cancer like them selves. You moved another tax paying family out of this shit hole and stupid leaders. You people are so blind.
If someone is talented enough to beat the extremely skewed odds to be accepted to an institution in the UC system, they are and asset to California. Most of the time, these immigrants were carried over the boarder by their parents seeking a better future for their children. So, though you may believe they are breaking the law to spite your very privileged life, they actually had no responsibility in crossing the boarder. Now that they are here, we should reward them for combatting such a disadvantaged society where all the conservatives are constantly pushing them further and further down the social ladder.
It’s much better that they get a college education than forcing someone both ambitious and intelligent into an underpaid unskilled job. If they have combatted so much and proved all the naysayers wrong, then think about all that they can accomplish with a college education.
RECALL JERRY BROWN!!!
“The next fight must be at the national level because the state does not
have the power to open the next door through which such students need
to pass to find a more normal life: obtaining citizenship…..”
Here are the next steps at the national level….
1) A correct interpretation of the 14th amendment which will strip citizenship from anchors.
2) Ending Chain Migration.
3) Overturning Plyler V Doe
“The law asserts that it is not fair for the state to nurture these
undocumented students, many of whom had no choice in their relocation
to this country, during their K-12 experiences and then cut them off
right at the threshold of college.”
This is the predicament of students from middle class families with incomes between $80,000 and $120,000 making them ineligible for any grant based financial aid. Illegals shall never have greater rights to a higher education than citizens. The so called Dream Act will easily be vetoed by referendum before it ever goes into effect. Once Plyler V Doe is overturned, Sec 48215 of the Education Code put in place by Prop 187 will take effect and illegals will not have access to a k-12 education.
See Education Code Sec 48215:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=edc&group=48001-49000&file=48210-48216
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/California_Proposition_187_%281994%29
at least they’re getting better education to get a job later on and not beg for welfare or other aid b/c “oh i do drugs I have seven babies, I need help b/c I can’t work but I need help for my cigarettes and booze and drugs”
This is why people hate California. You should save your resources for your own. These “undocumented students” should be going to schools in Mexico.
“obtaining citizenship”
They have citizenship–elsewhere.